We recently connected with Tonia Ranco and have shared our conversation below.

Tonia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I have always been obsessed with makeup. At the age of 47, my husband suggested I become an Influencer. I thought he was crazy. Honestly, I was completed terrified of becoming a beauty influencer. I grew up hearing all the things that were “wrong” with me. Your lips are too big, your eyes are too big, etc. So to put myself on a platform to be possibly torn apart, I was hesitant. I made my first Youtube video December 2016. It was truly one of the best decisions. Turns out he was right.

Tonia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m over 50 and I love makeup, skincare, fashion and encouraging all women to look and feel their best at any age. I became an Influencer at the age of 47. I never thought it would be easy by any means. You know what, it was better than I could have imagined. All of a sudden, I have this wonderful community of women. Wanting my advice, wanting my help, appreciating my humor and genuinely interested in me. I focused on expanding my social media presence. Brands started reaching out to me very quickly. The first major brand deal I landed was with Colourpop. I will always cherish that. The icing on the cake was September 2022 when an Agency reached out to me for representation. I honestly didn’t think I was anywhere near the representation stage. But honestly, I think I was just comparing myself to others. And in this business, you simply can’t do that. I’ve had to embrace the mind thinking of “People Like You For You”. Most people love and appreciate authenticity and just being you. Afterall, nobody can do you better than you. During covid, my husband and I started making TikToks. We quickly became viral. That was a whole new level that I hadn’t experienced. We were featured on Good Day LA. We’ve had celebrities share our content. We genuinely enjoy each other, so we just started sharing that on video. Working with him is definitely my favorite.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

As an African American influencer over 50, my goal is to increase representation and diversity within the beauty industry. My mission is to help drive positive change, encourage representation, and empower individuals who have been underrepresented in the beauty industry. I have the opportunity to be a trailblazer, making a significant impact in an industry that is gradually recognizing the importance of diversity and inclusion.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Being able to inspire and empower others, especially other women over 50. Getting to share whatever expertise I can and highlighting a positive outlook on aging and beauty. I get to use my platform to challenge outdated beauty norms and redefine what it means to be beautiful at any age.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bio.site/Rancobeauty
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rancobeauty
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rancobeauty
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rancobeauty
• Other: TikTok
  https://www.tiktok.com/@rancobeauty

Image Credits

Photos by: Bridget Daehler Photography